Tip of the Month

Should I Set a Reserved Price?

No. For items you are selling that have a minimum selling price, or a value that you are not willing to take less than, then that should be your starting price. Using a reserve really tells potential bidders you’re trying to hide something from them, and a very large number of bidders will simply ignore your auction and go on to the next item without a reserve price. Reserve prices can also attract bidders who will keep bidding until they discover the reserve limit, retract their bids when they realize the reserve price is more then they want to pay, or worse yet, they will refuse to pay. Remember, there is simply no reason to use a reserve price, since it is a special service that is no better then the standard pricing service, and the bottom line is as long as people keep using it and paying for it, eBay will continue to provide the service.